Solar power generation

Abstract

A solar electric power generating process is described which consists of tapwater thermally contacted with special brine. Low pressure characteristics of the brine draw steam through a power-generating turbine from the water into the brine. As the brine is pumped over an open air evaporator, excess water picked up by the brine is driven off using solar or waste heat. The tapwater is first purified in a demineralizer.

I claim: 
     
       1. An absorption power generating process comprising: demineralizing water to produce feedwater;   injecting low pressure steam into an absorber chamber;   injecting rich desiccant into said absorber chamber;   absorbing at least a portion of said injected low pressure steam into said rich desiccant to release heat from said desiccant and produce a weakened desiccant;   removing at least a portion of said weakened desiccant from said absorber chamber;   evaporating at least a portion of the water from said weakened desiccant into the open atmosphere to enrich said weakened desiccant;   transferring said heat from said absorber chamber into a stream of said feedwater to produce high pressure steam;   expanding said high pressure steam through a turbine to produce power and said low pressure steam.   
     
     
       2. The process according to claim 1 wherein demineralizing said feedwater comprises selectively removing calcium and magnesium from said feedwater such that the fraction of calcium and magnesium removed from said feedwater is substantially greater than the fraction of other metals removed from said feedwater.